REACTOR AND PROCESS FOR HIGHLY EXOTHERMIC OR ENDOTHERMIC REACTIONS

摘要

The present invention relates to a reactor comprising a normally vertical reactor vessel (1) comprising a reaction zone (2) for retaining a bed of catalyst and a plurality of heat-exchange means (3, 4) spaced apart in a vertical direction within the reaction zone, each heat-exchange means having an enveloppe, converging in a vertical direction, wherein the enveloppe is defined by the outer surface of one or more tubes. Adjacent heat-exchange means are offset about the axis of the reactor vessel, in every pair of adjacent heat-exchange means, the angle of offset between the said means preferably being the same. The reaction zone preferably comprises a fixed catalyst bed. The present invention further relates to processes involving highly exothermic or endothermic reactions, which highly exothermic or endothermic reactions are carried out in a reactor according to the present invention.